Green rooster
In 2010 the parish of St. Michael decided to introduce the green rooster.
This is not a strange animal, but that is what an environmental management system for parishes of the Protestant regional church is called. That means: We want to keep an eye on everything that has to do with the environment and creation in the life of a church community. E.g. power consumption - what can be meaningfully saved? Water - are faucets dripping somewhere? Heating - how can pleasant warmth be achieved in the church and the community rooms - with as little heating energy as possible? and much more
The kick-off event for the "Green Gockel" took place on June 27, 2010 as part of the annual parish day in bright sunshine in the Gaden around the church.
With contributions on the topic “You gave us your world”, which was written above the stage in large letters, it was made clear why this world is so worth protecting. A matching exhibition of nature pictures from Gochsheim (pictures of the Bund Naturschutz photographed by Marion Braun) and mosaic works from the secondary school in the church also underlined the beauty of creation.
The highlight of the event was a green rooster (Sigi Königer), which "fluttered" through the audience onto the stage. He explained to the children that he had come to Gochsheim because the children had sung the song of creation and had attracted him with it. The green rooster explained to the children that he was the guardian of nature and that everything remained as beautifully green as in the creation song. "That's why I'm so green and if you build me a nest in Gochsheim, I'll stay there too," said the rooster, crowing all the time. Because the children wanted to, they made suggestions on how they can help protect nature. The suggestions were written on strips of paper. A nest was then symbolically built from this.
The Green Gockel wants to come back in a year and if the children have implemented the suggestions by then, he wants to stay.
As a thank you, the children all received a roast rooster afterwards.
The environmental officer of the parish of Gochsheim, Emmi Sengfelder, then passed on to the adult-friendly presentation of the environmental management system. She emphasized that the church council in Gochsheim had unanimously decided to implement the recommendation of the regional synod and to introduce the Green Gockel. Together with Niederwerrn, Gochsheim is a pioneer in the Schweinfurt dean's office.
Renate Käser, the regional synodal for the Schweinfurt dean's office, reported that the regional synod, i.e. the Bavarian church parliament, introduced the “Green Gockel” for the Bavarian regional church at its spring meeting in 2009 in order to actively pursue climate protection. The Sunday confession to “God, the Creator of heaven and earth, should not only remain lip service, but challenge us to preserve God's beautiful nature”. She went on to say: “Environmental protection can be fun!” In addition to “the good feeling of doing the right thing”, it sometimes results in unexpectedly high savings in money and, of course, positive environmental effects. She emphasized that it is particularly important to manage sustainably so that the earth is still livable for the children who welcomed the green rooster and built a nest for him. And also for their children and grandchildren.
Siegfried Fuchs, the full-time environmental advisor of the Protestant regional church in Bavaria, brought the greetings from the regional church's environmental department. He informed that throughout Germany already 500 parishes and church institutions practice the "Green Gockel" (in northern churches it is called "Green Rooster"). Fuchs sees the advantages of the “Green Gockel” in the comprehensive and independent inventory taken directly by the parish. The strengths and weaknesses analysis shows which investments can be made sensibly and purposefully. And .. the parish itself determines the measures. For Fuchs, dealing with creation must be tangible in everyday life. “The Green Gockel is faith that is lived”.
As a representative of the environmental team, Erich Waldherr explained what the Green Gockel is scrutinizing. He reported which savings could be achieved in other municipalities, for example in energy consumption, water consumption or waste avoidance ... and that with little or no financial expense. He ended by stating, “An environmentalist doesn't have to be a Christian. But a Christian has to be an environmentalist! "
Finally, Emmi Sengfelder introduced the environmental team and called on the audience to contribute ideas and work on the environmental team.
Environmental team
Form the environmental team
Manfred Deppert
Karl Gunzel
Günter Hack
Sigi Königer (Secretary)
Karl-Heinz Pfister (Auditor)
Emmi Sengfelder (process officer)
Erich Waldherr (Auditor)
Andrea Steinruck
Maria Oeters
Erich Deppert
Wolfgang Stumptner
The team has worked a lot, checked, collected ideas, renewed, exchanged, etc. After two years of work, we made it: On May 11, 2012, the community was awarded the "Green Gockel". As the 33rd parish in Bavaria, we have received environmental certification.
Further information and pictures as well as the certificate that we have been awarded can be found in the environmental statement